Cooking Delicious Food Always » Tea

Red Rooibos

maschef — Wed, 21 Jul 2010 01:03:35 +0000

Unlike other teas, Red Rooibos tea comes from Aspalathus linearis, a small shrubby bush that grows to a height of half to one meter, and is found only in South Africa. All other teas come from Camellia sinensis.

Rooibos, which means red bush in African, is a very delicate plant and needs special care. Ideally, it should be left alone in its natural soil if it is to grow well. The bush has very thin, needle-like green leaves, which turn red after fermentation.

The Rooibos plant produces very few seeds, which are hence considered precious. These seeds pop out of the fruits on ripening, and hence it is difficult to harvest them. Some farmers actually go to the extent of raiding anthills just to look for Rooibos seeds.

The locals have always been aware of the fact that Rooibos leaves can be used to make a very delicious beverage. The world, however, came to know about it only when it was 'discovered' in 1904 by a Russian immigrant named Benjamin Ginsberg who was a settler in the area. He liked the taste of this tea so much that he decided to make this tea available to the whole world, and started selling it commercially.

Rooibos tea has a distinctive red color, a very sweet taste and a slightly nutty flavor. It has numerous health benefits, which combined with its delicious taste has helped Rooibos become a very popular tea all over the world.

The biggest advantage that Rooibos has is that its leaves have no caffeine and very low tannin. The tea can therefore be enjoyed all day long without any unwanted side effects. Even pregnant women and nursing mothers can use this tea without being worried about side-effects..

The other benefits of Rooibos tea are as follows:

– It eases irritability, headaches, nervous tension and insomnia.

– It acts as an anti-spasmodic agent and relieves stomach cramps and colic in infants

– It can be used to treat hay fever, asthma and eczema.

– If placed directly, it can slow the ageing process of the skin

– It boosts the immune system

– People prone to kidney stones can safely consume it because it does not contain oxalic acid.

– The presence of copper, iron, potassium, calcium, fluorides, zinc, manganese and magnesium makes it a useful nutritional supplement.

Tea Brewing Tips

maschef — Mon, 28 Jun 2010 11:15:35 +0000

There are seven tea brewing tips that can add extra flavor to your tea. These are:

1. Quality of the tea: Never compromise on the quality of tea. Value the pleasure more than the price. You must remember that tea that costs $100 per pound, only costs 50 cents per cup when steeped.

2. Quality of the water: After tea leaves, this is the most important ingredient. Make sure that you use fresh, clean water and not filtered or distilled water. Also, avoid boiling water because boiling expels oxygen and makes the water go flat. It is best to steep tea in water that is not fully boiled.

3. Correct measurement: You can standardize your flavor by using a tea balance. The best brews are made by using 2.5 to 3 grams of leaves per 5-6 ounces of water.

4. Correct steeping temperature: Different teas require different steeping temperatures. : If you are a meticulous person and love your morning or evening tea then you must buy a thermometer. Use it to infuse tea at the right time. Here are some widely accepted steeping temperatures:

– Black tea should be made with water at full boil — that is 212 degrees.

– Oolong tea should be made between 190 and 203 degrees.

– Green tea should be made with slightly cooler water — between 160 and 180 degrees.

– White tea is brewed best in water whose temperature ranges from 150 to 160 degrees.

– Herbal teas should be made in boiling water.

5. Correct steeping time: This is another important parameter. You can use the following yardsticks while deciding the time that suits you best:

– Black tea should be steeped for 4-6 minutes.

– Oolong teas have different steeping times. Some need to be brewed for 3-4 minutes, while others may need 6-8 minutes. You have to find the right time through experimentation.

– Green teas don't take much time. They are ready for serving in 2 to 3 minutes.

– White teas are the most delicate. They should not be steeped for more than 2 minutes.

– Puerh teas are hard teas and should be steeped for least 7-8 minutes.

6. Space to expand: You should never cramp the tea leaves. Make sure that there is enough space in the infuser for the teas to expand. It is best to infuse tea in kettle because the tealeaves can easily expand to three times their size, releasing the stored flavor and aroma. This does not happen in the case of tea balls.

7. Storage: Finally, don't forget storage. The tea loses flavor if it is exposed to oxygen and light. To enjoy your tea longer make sure that you keep it in an airtight, opaque container. The dark colored and tightly rolled teas will stay fresh for more than six months.

Tea Tasting

maschef — Tue, 22 Jun 2010 11:21:35 +0000

Tea tasting is a process by which tea tasters determine the character, quality, and value of tea. The tasters examine the tea both before and after preparation, and then give their verdict. This is a very specialized task and very few are equipped to do it.

The physical examination gives the tasters an idea about the presence or absence of fiber, dust and stalk as well as the care taken in sorting and grading. New teas do not crumble easily when pressed in hands while the aroma from the warmed teas helps in distinguishing between Oolongs, Ceylons, Javas, Africans, Indians, and most black teas. This process also helps in determining the tea quality.

The open, flat leaves infuse quickly while the well-twisted leaves take longer to yield the full flavor. The taster then sniffs the aroma and looks at the infused leaf for color, evenness, and brightness. A bright, penny-coppery-colored infused leaf indicates good quality black tea; a dull-brown color is a sign of poor liquor; while mixed, uneven, and green color indicates that the liquor is raw or thin in taste.

Now the taster checks out the liquor itself in bright and consistent light. Light, bright greenish-yellow liquor indicates quality, body, strength, and pungency in green tea; dark or brownish-yellow color often indicates old or poor leaf. Young green teas yield very light liquors, while the finest oolongs have a pale amber color; Darjeeling tea yields light colored liquor.

Finally, the tasters proceed to the actual tasting of tea. This is the final confirmatory step that verifies or nullifies the physical indications. The tea is normally tasted at 106 degree to 110 degree Fahrenheit. Astringency or pungency of tea is not a taste, rather a sensation felt on the gums and cheeks. The body, or thickness, of the tea is determined by the weight or viscosity experienced when the liquor is swirled around in the mouth. The real sensation of tea is experienced more by the nose than mouth.

The flavor judging system – the nose and tongue – is one of the most sensitive of all our senses and therefore fatigues easily. Thus a taster can taste a maximum of 2 to 3 dozen varieties of tea in a day, after which he or she is required to rest for around 50 hours to remove any previous impressions. Each tea expert specializes in a particular flavor or odor, and should not be used to test tea out of his group — if he or she is to deliver the best results.

Try Chai, Tea Latte And Milk Tea

maschef — Fri, 26 Mar 2010 09:28:35 +0000

The tea connoisseurs love their tea black; but there are millions of others who can't have tea without milk. Over the centuries, these tea lovers have developed their own brand of milk tea, each peculiar to their region and taste buds. The simplest is tea with milk. Then comes Indian chai, tea latte and masala chai. Each has its own recipe, and its own flavor.

Tea with milk is also known as separate tea because the tea brew and milk is served separately. It is for the tea drinker to decide the right proportion of milk and tea. It is also for the tea drinker to decide whether to pour tea first or milk first. Some love to pour the golden yellow brew on steaming milk while others like to do the reverse.

Unlike coffee, cream is best avoided when having separate tea. It dilutes the flavor. Also, when going for tea with milk avoid oolong or green teas. These teas should be had without milk.

The Indian chai is an omnibus name for all kinds of milk tea served across the Indian peninsula. This tea is brewed by tossing tea leaves into a kettle of boiling water, allowing it to simmer and then adding milk and sugar. The brew is removed from the gas stove when the milk boils, and poured into a teapot or mugs that may be of porcelain or steel.

This tea is usually strong, milky, and sweet. In fact, the commercial stalls that serve Indian chai rarely change the tea leaves. They continue to add water and milk for each new serving, making the concoction bitter and strong. This tea is largely sold at roadside tea stalls, markets and commercial centers.

The Masala Chai is the America version of milk tea known simply as "chai." This tea is prepared like Indian chai but also uses spices, such as cardamom, ginger, cinnamon, black pepper, and so on. Pre-mixed packets of spicy chai have made the brewing of this tea easier.

Tea latte is another milk-based tea brew that is becoming increasingly popular on the West Coast. It is a strong tea with steamed milk and flavored syrup. The two popular syrups that are used for making tea latte are almond and vanilla. The syrups are largely used to enhance the flavor of the drink, very much like in the case of coffee. However, when selecting a syrup it is important to avoid strong syrups because they kill the taste of tea.

If you love milk in your tea then you certainly need to explore these varieties.

Tea Taster

maschef — Fri, 19 Mar 2010 18:54:35 +0000

One of the most prized professionals in a tea plantation is the tea taster. It is this individual who judges the taste and flavor of each brand of tea. Based on this individual's verdict a company goes ahead and markets the tea.

The tea tasters take years to perfect the art of tasting. They hone their senses of smell, sight, touch and taste to pick up the finest nuances of a tea's flavor, aroma, color, viscosity etc.

The tea tasting process is like a ritual. The samples are arranged in a row or around a round table. Each sample is numbered, and placed next to the tea taster's lidded cup and bowl. A row of steaming kettles is kept close to the table for the tea taster to infuse the tea.

The tea taster first examines the tealeaves. This is both a visual and a physical examination. The leaf is then transferred to the lidded cup and the tea taster pours boiling water from a kettle. The infusion time is normally six minutes, but a tea taster can change the infusion time.

The liquor is then transferred to the bowl, and the lidded cup is turned upside down. The wet leaves that fall on the lid are then examined by the tea taster. The taster also examines the liquor for color, aroma and viscosity.

Now, the tea taster is ready for the final act, of tasting the tea. The tea is scooped with a special spoon and sucked at a speed that is around 125 miles per hour. The sucking produces a loud, slurping sound, which is not pleasant but which sprays the liquor in a fine, thin mist to all parts of the mouth. It is this spray that becomes the tea taster's final sample. The tea is then expelled in a gaboon, or a spittoon, and the tea taster gets ready to taste the next sample.

On an average a tea taster tastes 15 to 20 samples. Each sample is tasted twice, the first time to get rid of the flavor of the last sample and the second time to assess the actual qualities of the sample. The tasters allow the liquor to cool slightly before they slurp it. However, even then the tasters are used to getting the insides of their mouths scalded.

Good tea tasters are in great demand. They also command a high price. And why not. The art of tea tasting is unique. Very few people can do it. Those who can make full use of this skill.

Tea Tasting

Iced Tea

maschef — Sat, 13 Mar 2010 03:18:35 +0000

Americans love iced tea though few are aware that it is an American innovation. This is because tea is an Asian brew and all innovations have been pioneered there. However, iced tea's popularity can be traced to the heat wave of 1904 when tea merchant Richard Blechynden decided to serve tea over ice in a St. Louis expo. The Americans have never looked back since then. They have perfected several methods to make iced tea and even come up with several innovative recipes.

The best iced tea is made with black teas that come from Java, Ceylon, China, or Malawi, as well as flavored teas, such as Peach Black Tea, Lemon Green Tea, or even Formosa Oolong or Japanese Sencha. While some prefer it with sugar, others like it without sugar.

Iced tea can also be taken sweet. In this case, superfine baking or bartender's sugar is used. Otherwise, you may prepare sugar syrup on the stove in a 1:1 sugar and water ratio, simmer it for a few minutes, and keep it in the fridge for up to two weeks.

There are two methods to prepare iced tea. The first is the cold steeping method. In this method, dry tealeaf is placed in a clean jug that has an appropriate amount of cold water. The infusion is refrigerated overnight or for at least six hours and then strained into a second jug or container. Sugar or lemon is then added as per choice and served.

The second is the hot steeping method. Tea makers here have the following three options:

Method 1: Use double the quantity of dry tea leaf that you would ordinarily use for hot tea, infuse for 5 minutes, and pour over a full glass of ice. For best results, let the tea cool down before pouring over ice to prevent clouding or creaming down.

Method 2: Double the tealeaf amount, steep for 5 minutes in hot water, and then pour into a container with the same amount of cold water. This dilutes the strong tea and avoids clouding.

Method 3: Steep black tea in boiling water for 5-8 minutes, then strain into a container containing cold water. Add sugar or lemon to taste. If you brewed up too strong a concentrate, do not worry, as it will be watered down when poured over ice. You may also add a little water if you still find it too strong.

Iced tea can also be mixed with lemonade or other fruit juices in a 1:1 ratio. However, while doing so you must make sure that the juice does not kill the tea flavor.

Oolong Tea

maschef — Sat, 13 Mar 2010 02:31:35 +0000

Oolong Tea is a traditional Chinese tea that is prepared by oxidizing it more than the green tea but less than the black tea. It does not have the grassy taste of black tea; rather it has a very different, indescribable flavor. It is generally brewed strong towards the bitter side, but still has a sweet after-taste.

The name Oolong means black dragon or snake, and has many legends associated with its origin, largely on account of the fact that the tea leaves look like twisted, snaky threads when dried.

Oolong tea is oxidized in a special manner using the following procedure:

* Wilting: Drying in the sun or air to remove a part of the moisture.
* Yao-Qing: Creating more contact surface for oxidization by bruising the edge of the tealeaf.
* Rou-Qing: Tumbling the tealeaves for the next stage.
* Sa-Qing: Frying either by hand (for premium tea) or by machinery (for lesser quality tea). This process is primarily aimed to stop further oxidization.
* Cooling followed by drying to remove excessive moisture.
* Grading and finally Packaging

The best Oolong teas come from Wu-Y

Tealeaf Grading

maschef — Thu, 04 Mar 2010 15:10:35 +0000

Tealeaf grading is done in different ways in different countries. The most popular way to grade tealeaves is according to the leaf size. The tea can then be whole leaf, broken or small leaf, fannings and even dust. Usually the leaves with the most "tip"- the term used to indicate leaves plucked from the very top of the plant – receive the highest rating.

The following are the most popularly accepted gradings for Black tea, Green tea and Oolong tea:

Black tea grades: The first grade of black tea is called OP or Orange Pekoe. This comprises the best and most tender leaves, plucked from the tips of the plant's young shoots. The other grades are:

* Flowery Orange Pekoe (FOP): This comprises fine, tender, young leaves rolled with a certain proportion of "tips".

* Golden Flowery Orange Pekoe (GFOP): As the name suggests, this is FOP with "golden tips".

* Finest Tippy Golden Flowery Orange Pekoe (FTGFOP): This grade is of exceptional quality FOP

* Special Finest Tippy Golden Flowery Orange Pekoe (SFTGFOP): This tea is considered the very best FOP. A large proportion of leaves have golden "tips" in this grade of tea.

* Pekoe (P): These are shorter, less fine leaves without "tips".

* Flowery Pekoe (FP): These comprise of leaves rolled into ball shape.

* Pekoe Souchong (PS): It is made of shorter, coarser leaves.

* Souchong (S): It is made of large leaves rolled lengthwise, and is generally used for smoked teas.

* Golden Flowery Broken Orange Pekoe – A BOP with more tip than the FBOP.

* Flowery Broken Orange Pekoe (FBOP): Larger than the standard BOP, this grade often contains leaves with brown and silver tips.

* BOP: Broken Orange Pekoe – This is the smallest of leaf grades. It gives good colored strong liquor

* BP: Broken Pekoe – This comprises of very short, even, curly leaves.

The other grades are: Broken Orange Pekoe Fannings, Broken Orange Pekoe Dust, Pekoe Dust, Red Dust, Super Red Dust, Fine Dust, Super Fine Dust and Golden Dust.

Green tea grades: These are graded by the quality of their flavor, the area of growth and the way the leaf is flushed or picked. The general categories in different countries are:

Japan: Extra Choicest, Choicest, Choice, Finest, Fine, Good Medium, Medium, Good Common, Common, Nubs, Dust and Fannings.

China: Gunpowder, Imperial, Young Hyson, Hyson Twanky, Hyson Skin and Dust.

India: Fine Young Hyson, Young Hyson, Hyson No.1, Hyson, Soumee, Fannings, Dust.

Oolong tea grades: These follow the following descending order grading system developed by the Taiwanese government: Standard, On Good, Good, Fully Good, Good Up, Good to Superior, On Superior, Superior, Fully Superior, Superior Up, Superior to Fine, On Fine, Fine, Fine Up, Fine to Finest, Finest, Finest to Choice.

Green Tea Can Cause Weight Loss

maschef — Thu, 25 Feb 2010 22:22:35 +0000

Green tea is not only a great beverage to start your day with but it can also remove some of the extra pounds that you may have accumulated over the years. According to the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition green tea extract increases your metabolism rate by 4%. This means that you burn more fat when you sip green tea.

The research attributes this fat-burning quality to the high concentrations of catechin polyphenols in green tea. These chemicals intensify fat oxidation and thermogenesis, that is the rate at which your body burns calories.

Green tea also inhibits fat absorption and helps in glucose regulation. This is the work of catechins present in green tea. They inhibit the movement of glucose into fat cells, and can be said to work like glucose regulators. The tea also helps to slowdown the rise in blood sugar after meals, preventing high insulin spikes and the subsequent fat storage.

Another way that green tea helps you to control weight is by affecting appetite. Studies conducted on rats at University of Chicago showed that rats consumed up to 60 percent less food after seven days of daily green tea injections. This may be due to the blood sugar regulating effects of green tea.

Green tea can help you switch from coffee to tea. Such a switch can lower calorie intake while still giving you your daily caffeine dose. However, for people with heart trouble, high blood pressure or stimulant sensitivities, the caffeine in green tea may not be the best idea. They should go for the green tea extract, which is usually made from decaffeinated green tea. This gives you the weight loss benefits without the caffeine factor. Similarly, women who are pregnant or breastfeeding must consult their doctors before moving to green tea.

Green tea works best when it is taken in the right amounts. Three to five cups of green tea per day is considered optimal. It helps you burn an extra 70 calories per day, amounting to 7 pounds per year. But if three to five cups is too much for you, you may consider green tea extract, green tea pills or a green tea patch.

However, you must remember that green tea is not a magic bullet: You cannot make 5000 calories go away in a day by drinking a cup of green tea. A healthy diet and increased exercise are required to help you lose weight.

Kinds Of Tea

maschef — Sun, 21 Feb 2010 10:43:35 +0000

The plant is one: Camellia sinensis. The leaves are the same: tea leaves. But the kinds of tea available in the market: a breathtaking 3,000 plus. The majority of these teas are exotic, and limited to small regions of the world. Their pedigree and flavor is influenced by different soil and weather conditions, geographic location, plantation height, parentage, processing and blending methods. This also includes tea-making methods.

Most of these teas can be broadly categorized under three generic heads: green tea, black tea, and oolong tea. These teas get their individual qualities from the processing methods used to make them. The black teas undergo several hours of oxidation (fermentation), the oolongs receive less oxidation or are semi-fermented, while the green teas are not oxidized at all. Two other categories of tea are: white tea and Puerh tea.

The following are the important characteristics of these teas:

Black Tea: Black tea requires several hours of oxidation for its preparation and currently accounts for around 70 per cent of world tea consumption. The popular varieties of black tea are: English Breakfast, Irish Breakfast, Darjeeling, Ceylon, Assam, and Keemun.

Green Tea: Green tea has a vegetative or herbaceous quality unlike black or oolong as it is not fermented or oxidized. The freshly harvested leaves are rolled and heated. Most green teas produce a greenish-gold drink which is generally much lighter than other teas. The green tea is highly valued for its medicinal qualities

Oolong Tea: Oolong tea is the least popular tea accounting for less than three percent of world consumption. It is a partially fermented (oxidized), has a delicate flavor and is often called the champagne of teas by tea enthusiasts. The caffeine content in these tea is somewhere between the green teas and black teas. The flavor is often compared to the taste and aroma of fresh flowers and fresh fruit.
White teas: These are the most delicate of all teas, and are imbued with a natural sweetness. They are hand processed and made from the youngest shoots without any oxidation. They produce very low amounts of caffeine when brewed correctly.

Puerh tea: This is an ancient black tea that traces its origin to China. It has several important medicinal properties and an earthy flavor. Its import to US was illegal till 1995 and its production process is a closely guarded state secret in China. It is very strong with an incredibly deep and rich flavor without any bitterness.